Who Is Your Opposite?
Here's a marvelous observation from Seth Godin:
“One of the hardest things to do is invent a brand with no opposite. You don't have an anchor to play against.
Does your team agree on who your opposite is?”
As it applies to your nonprofit or firm, the question forces you to think through who YOU really are. What are the essential defining or differentiating characteristics of your organization? Are they goals, people, style of operation, preferred strategies or solutions, what? Presumably, these are characteristics you value … rather highly. They happen to define your brand.
Then, to sharpen your thinking, identify an organization that, while operating in your general space, is as opposite in these characteristics from your organization as possible.
How hard are you working to NOT be like them? I know you personally are motivated by higher purposes, but isn't it fun just to be not like the other guy?! If you think that way, you're bound to be a more creative marketer.
If you really want to be like them, why not just fold up your tent and join them? They can probably do “them” better than you can anyway. And one less nonprofit to clutter the landscape.
Tom
Behavioral Science Q & A
Integrating an individual giving appeal with other communications from a charity can have both positive and negative effects, and the outcome largely depends on how it’s executed. Advantages of Integration Brand Consistency: Maintaining a consistent appearance and messaging across all communications can reinforce the org’s brand identity and strengthen brand recognition and trust among your […]
Read Full Answer
I’m not aware of any in-market tests specifically comparing recurring vs. gift frequency language. I suspect the answer might not be the same with all gift frequencies, nor with all people. It sounds like a great opportunity for you to test and find out what works for your audience. Based on the literature, here’s a couple […]
Read Full Answer
Based on what we know from existing data, those renewal notices can actually be pretty effective in getting people to donate. They tap into our psychology – creating a sense of urgency, reminding us of past support, and using personalization to make the message hit home. They’re playing on our natural tendencies to feel obligated […]
Read Full Answer
Interesting question. I had a quick look at the testing done on this topic. On the positive side, in all cases, over half of donors decide to cover the fee. In some cases, it goes as high as 65%. Not a negligible percentage at all. Here’s another test from iRaiser showing consistent results (see point […]
Read Full Answer
There’s just one thing to consider when designing a supporter journey: the supporter. More specifically, you need to take into account: Who the supporter is i.e. their identity, which is the reason they support this cause, and their personality, which describes the way they “see” and process the world. These will determine the kind of […]
Read Full Answer
I’m not an expert in this but a quick search surfaced this article on the effect of tax reforms on 2019’s charitable giving. The researchers didn’t find a reduction. Actually, they observed an “increase in charitable contributions in 2019, even with the lower tax rates and the dramatically smaller number of taxpayers who itemize their […]
Read Full Answer